Bruised but not Broken
by AjAwkwardsauce
Summary: Tori is beaten up and she won't tell anyone what happened. Jade takes it upon herself to find out why.


**Hi everyone! Here is the newest request fic. I hope you enjoy it. **

I got a call from Cat telling me you were in the hospital. No one else thought to tell me because we aren't _friends_. I don't know why that has to mean so much to everyone but I came to see you anyway. Your face is bruised pretty badly and your arm is fractured in six places. You even have a few broken ribs. You won't tell us who did this to you or where you were when it happened. You say "I don't know", but I see the truth behind your eyes. There is something you are hiding from us.

After a while the questions seem to tire you out and you tell everyone that you're going to sleep. We leave you alone to get some rest but as I am walking out I realize I forgot my purse on the chair in your room. I stop outside the doorway because I hear unfamiliar voices mingling with yours.

"I am so sorry Tor, I hope this doesn't stop you from coming by, we'll go with you if you want us to from now on." A male says.

"No, it won't keep me away, I mean I probably won't be there for a while but I'll be back." You answer.

"Good, we'll miss you." A different guy says. I walk into your room and you look at me fearfully from your bed.

"Uh – Jade!" Your voice jumps the octave and I pick up my purse. "These are my cousins." You don't sound too sure about it and I know you're lying. I lift my hand.

"Hi." I say quietly.

"Tori, are you sure you're okay?" I ask meeting your eyes and you smile. Even though your face is swollen and it must cause you pain you actually smile at me.

"Yeah, I'm good, thanks Jade." You say and I figure you seem to know these guys pretty well so I leave you with a goodbye and a wave.

XxX

I visit you every day after school and almost every time I show up there is someone I don't know with you. A few times it's those two guys and every once in a while it is a girl with brown eyes and purple hair. You tell me that she is a friend from your old school and even though you are getting better at lying I know it isn't the truth. When you ask me why I come to see you every day I pass it off as me bringing your homework to you.

I even make up homework when we don't have any. Just so I can see you.

One of the days that I come to visit the girl with purple hair walks out of the hospital as I am walking in. I flag her down and she waves at me.

"Hi, you come to visit Tori often right?" She asks me.

"Yeah, you're her friend?" I ask and she nods with a smile. Her eyes catch the tattoo on my wrist and she points to it.

"I have that too." She holds up her wrist and a five point star similar to mine flashes in front of my eyes.

"Cool." I tell her.

"Are you by any chance Jade?" She questions. I nod.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Tori talks about you a lot." She shrugs.

"Do you know what happened when she got hurt?" I ask suddenly. The girl bobs her head sadly.

"Yeah, she was leaving Twisted when a bunch of guys beat her up." The girl shakes her head and her lavender hair falls into her face. "It sucks that we have to worry about being attacked just because of who we are attracted to." She shrugs, her watch beeps and she checks the time.

"Oh, I have to get going. Maybe I'll see you around?" She asks.

"Yeah, I didn't catch your name?" I say.

"The names Meledy, but you can call me Mel." She smiles and waves before heading to her car. I stare as she drives away. I try to understand what she told me.

XxX

"You're _gay_?" I ask as soon as I step into your room. That isn't how I planned on asking you. I had a whole speech about how you could trust me and everything but that blew out the window, I guess.

"What?" You sputter.

"Sorry, are you gay?" I attempt to say it with a little less shock.

"Where did you hear that?" You ask but I know it's true. Your eyes tell it all. It takes five strides to reach your bed.

"Mel told me." I lean down and brush my lips against yours. Your face isn't swollen anymore and the split in your lip has healed. You try to sit forward as I pull away and it makes me laugh.

"Yeah, I'm gay." You say quietly.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" I question as I sit on the edge of your bed. You're face deadpans and you half gesture to your body with your broken arm.

"Because of this." You spill out.

"Oh." I say.

"Yeah," you sigh, "what's your reason for not telling anyone?" You ask me.

"I'm not gay," I tell you. I swear your face falls a bit and I hold back a smirk.

"I'm bi." I say and you smile, "and I haven't told anyone because everyone will think I'm lying. If I came out people would say I am just trying to get attention. Everyone thinks its weird if you can't pick one gender to be attracted to." I sigh and the edges of your lips tug downward. "So I guess I'm weird." I shrug. You reach out and grab my hand.

"I didn't think you cared about what people thought of you." You say.

"Well we learn something new everyday, don't we?" I chuckle. You smile again and I look down at your hand that is settled on mine. It's covered on scratches and I run my thumb over one of them.

"Jade," you say nervously and catch your bottom lip between your teeth.

"Hmmm?" I hum.

"Are you ever afraid?" You ask. I lock eyes with you.

"I was afraid when I heard that you were in the hospital." I tell you honestly. You smile again and I don't think I've ever been the reason to make you so happy.

"Thanks."

"Tori, do you think you would be scared to come out as my girlfriend?" I ask quietly. Your eyes widen and your jaw drops slightly. I'm pretty sure my voice shakes because I'm nervous; I've never done something like this before. I've never been the one asking someone out. But suddenly you're grinning so widely that the split in your lip reopens. You jerk me towards you with your unbroken arm and you're kissing me and you taste like copper.

"Will you be scared?" You ask after you pull away. I lick my lips and nod my head.

"A little," I admit, "but I like you. And I think that makes it okay." I say. The smile doesn't leave your lips.

"I would love to be your girlfriend." You tell me seriously. Now it is my turn to smile. I kiss you again.

XxX

We tell everyone that we're dating when we know it is serious. It has been three months since you agreed to be my girlfriend and apparently we weren't very good at hiding it because all of our friends knew. You don't have to wear your cast anymore and most of your wounds have healed completely or are only pale scars on your tan skin. We go to Twisted a lot and I am officially introduced to Mel and Kevin and Bryant. Kevin and Bryant have been dating for ten years and Mel is a lonely bisexual looking for love. Or, at least that's what she tells everyone.

She jokes that she could've swept you off your feet but I already had my claws in you, according to her. Whatever.

The people who beat you up were found and charged with aggravated assault and they were each sentenced to six months in jail. I'm not happy with the sentence but there is nothing I can do. You feel sorry for them, not that they are in jail, but because they are such close minded individuals and I love you even more because you are so amazing.

XxX

"Jade?" You're sitting on my couch and I'm watching the news from the recliner.

"Yeah?" I turn my head and look at you. Your hair hangs over your shoulders and you rest your feet on my coffee table.

"I love you." You say.

"I love you too." I tell you. I stand up from my chair and sit beside you. You curl up in my lap and we continue watching the news together.


End file.
